Anthropology: is this bachelor's degree worth it?
National picture across 208 reporting college programs.
MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff
−$241,169 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.
272.1 yrsModeled economic break-even
−96%Modeled 10-year ROI
$45,920Observed earnings · year 4
Observed national outcomes
$45,920Median reported earnings · year 4
$46,466Average reported earnings · year 5
$23,000Median federal debt
12thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential
208Reporting programs
189With year-4 earnings
The same field can produce a different equation.
Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.
CURRENT VIEW
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $45,920
- Federal debt
- $23,000
- Reporting programs
- 208
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $57,283
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $72,767
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Reporting programs
- 3
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$41,759National median$45,92075th percentile$53,036
189 programs report year‑4 earnings.See the spread, not just the national number.
1Columbia University in the City of New York$83,4932Duke University$81,1203Emory University$78,7684Washington University in St Louis$71,0185Dartmouth College$70,8466Fordham University$66,5627George Washington University$65,1728University of California, Berkeley$64,3599Sonoma State University$62,67410San Francisco State University$61,300Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Related occupations
Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.
Anthropologists and ArcheologistsSOC 19-3091 · 6 crosswalk linksAnthropology and Archeology Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1061 · 6 crosswalk linksManagers, All OtherSOC 11-9199 · 6 crosswalk linksArea, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1062 · 1 crosswalk linksForensic Science TechniciansSOC 19-4092 · 1 crosswalk linksMedical Scientists, Except EpidemiologistsSOC 19-1042 · 1 crosswalk links
Same degree, different outcomes
Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. ROI uses each institution’s average net price as a scenario—not an individual aid offer.
| # | College | Location | Earnings, year 4 | Federal debt | 10-year ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New YorkBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $83,493 | $34,500 | +45% | Positive payoff |
| 2 | Duke UniversityBachelor's Degree | Durham, NC | $81,120 | Not available | +21% | Positive payoff |
| 3 | Emory UniversityBachelor's Degree | Atlanta, GA | $78,768 | $21,515 | +25% | Positive payoff |
| 4 | Washington University in St LouisBachelor's Degree | St. Louis, MO | $71,018 | $15,000 | -3% | Negative payoff |
| 5 | Dartmouth CollegeBachelor's Degree | Hanover, NH | $70,846 | $14,363 | -13% | Negative payoff |
| 6 | Fordham UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $66,562 | $24,000 | -40% | Negative payoff |
| 7 | George Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $65,172 | $27,000 | -38% | Negative payoff |
| 8 | University of California, BerkeleyBachelor's Degree | Berkeley, CA | $64,359 | $12,949 | -17% | Negative payoff |
| 9 | Sonoma State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rohnert Park, CA | $62,674 | $19,249 | -24% | Negative payoff |
| 10 | San Francisco State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Francisco, CA | $61,300 | $17,250 | -29% | Negative payoff |
| 11 | James Madison UniversityBachelor's Degree | Harrisonburg, VA | $60,841 | $20,500 | -42% | Negative payoff |
| 12 | CUNY Lehman CollegeBachelor's Degree | Bronx, NY | $60,488 | $13,722 | -20% | Negative payoff |
| 13 | Loyola University ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $59,024 | Not available | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 14 | Stony Brook UniversityBachelor's Degree | Stony Brook, NY | $58,329 | $19,449 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 15 | Brandeis UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waltham, MA | $57,423 | $26,000 | -62% | Negative payoff |
| 16 | University of California, San DiegoBachelor's Degree | La Jolla, CA | $56,982 | $13,958 | -48% | Negative payoff |
| 17 | Tulane University of LouisianaBachelor's Degree | New Orleans, LA | $56,847 | $19,500 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 18 | University of California, DavisBachelor's Degree | Davis, CA | $56,836 | $15,000 | -50% | Negative payoff |
| 19 | University of North Carolina at Chapel HillBachelor's Degree | Chapel Hill, NC | $56,589 | $11,982 | -49% | Negative payoff |
| 20 | Rutgers University-New BrunswickBachelor's Degree | New Brunswick, NJ | $56,468 | $26,750 | -59% | Negative payoff |
| 21 | Rutgers University-NewarkBachelor's Degree | Newark, NJ | $56,468 | $26,750 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 22 | University of California, Santa BarbaraBachelor's Degree | Santa Barbara, CA | $56,238 | $19,500 | -54% | Negative payoff |
| 23 | SUNY OneontaBachelor's Degree | Oneonta, NY | $55,981 | $21,500 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 24 | Georgia Southern UniversityBachelor's Degree | Statesboro, GA | $55,879 | Not available | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 25 | Monmouth UniversityBachelor's Degree | West Long Branch, NJ | $55,868 | $25,500 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 26 | Purdue University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | West Lafayette, IN | $55,624 | $18,972 | -55% | Negative payoff |
| 27 | University of Oklahoma-Norman CampusBachelor's Degree | Norman, OK | $55,399 | $25,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 28 | University of Colorado BoulderBachelor's Degree | Boulder, CO | $55,217 | $20,000 | -64% | Negative payoff |
| 29 | University of ConnecticutBachelor's Degree | Storrs, CT | $54,907 | $18,500 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 30 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury CampusBachelor's Degree | Waterbury, CT | $54,907 | $18,500 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 31 | University of Connecticut-Avery PointBachelor's Degree | Groton, CT | $54,907 | $18,500 | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 32 | University of Connecticut-StamfordBachelor's Degree | Stamford, CT | $54,907 | $18,500 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 33 | University of Connecticut-Hartford CampusBachelor's Degree | Hartford, CT | $54,907 | $18,500 | -60% | Negative payoff |
| 34 | University of California, Los AngelesBachelor's Degree | Los Angeles, CA | $54,905 | $15,000 | -57% | Negative payoff |
| 35 | Northern Illinois UniversityBachelor's Degree | Dekalb, IL | $54,890 | Not available | -58% | Negative payoff |
| 36 | University of Wisconsin-MadisonBachelor's Degree | Madison, WI | $54,773 | $19,775 | -61% | Negative payoff |
| 37 | California State University, FullertonBachelor's Degree | Fullerton, CA | $54,092 | $14,404 | -56% | Negative payoff |
| 38 | San Diego State UniversityBachelor's Degree | San Diego, CA | $53,991 | $13,099 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 39 | Commonwealth University of PennsylvaniaBachelor's Degree | Bloomsburg, PA | $53,927 | $26,000 | -63% | Negative payoff |
| 40 | Boston UniversityBachelor's Degree | Boston, MA | $53,722 | $25,250 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 41 | College of CharlestonBachelor's Degree | Charleston, SC | $53,567 | $23,000 | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 42 | Binghamton UniversityBachelor's Degree | Vestal, NY | $53,460 | $22,250 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 43 | University of Washington-Seattle CampusBachelor's Degree | Seattle, WA | $53,212 | $12,000 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 44 | Syracuse UniversityBachelor's Degree | Syracuse, NY | $53,196 | $23,249 | -76% | Negative payoff |
| 45 | Metropolitan State University of DenverBachelor's Degree | Denver, CO | $53,125 | $31,135 | -66% | Negative payoff |
| 46 | University of Michigan-Ann ArborBachelor's Degree | Ann Arbor, MI | $53,042 | $14,623 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 47 | University of Maryland-College ParkBachelor's Degree | College Park, MD | $53,038 | $20,070 | -67% | Negative payoff |
| 48 | American UniversityBachelor's Degree | Washington, DC | $53,036 | $27,000 | -77% | Negative payoff |
| 49 | University of California, Santa CruzBachelor's Degree | Santa Cruz, CA | $52,315 | $17,875 | -71% | Negative payoff |
| 50 | Texas A&M University-College StationBachelor's Degree | College Station, TX | $52,227 | $21,264 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 51 | California State University, Channel IslandsBachelor's Degree | Camarillo, CA | $51,951 | $20,914 | -68% | Negative payoff |
| 52 | University of Illinois ChicagoBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $51,907 | $24,348 | -69% | Negative payoff |
| 53 | University of Virginia-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Charlottesville, VA | $51,811 | $13,885 | -74% | Negative payoff |
| 54 | CUNY Hunter CollegeBachelor's Degree | New York, NY | $51,787 | $10,200 | -65% | Negative payoff |
| 55 | University of Northern ColoradoBachelor's Degree | Greeley, CO | $51,715 | $25,667 | -73% | Negative payoff |
| 56 | Southern New Hampshire UniversityBachelor's Degree | Manchester, NH | $51,100 | $34,312 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 57 | University of California, IrvineBachelor's Degree | Irvine, CA | $50,850 | $16,667 | -75% | Negative payoff |
| 58 | DePaul UniversityBachelor's Degree | Chicago, IL | $50,780 | $26,533 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 59 | Western Washington UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bellingham, WA | $50,703 | $22,000 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 60 | Baylor UniversityBachelor's Degree | Waco, TX | $50,699 | $26,500 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 61 | Pennsylvania State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | University Park, PA | $50,640 | $27,000 | -82% | Negative payoff |
| 62 | Bridgewater State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Bridgewater, MA | $50,376 | Not available | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 63 | Illinois State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Normal, IL | $50,177 | $25,333 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 64 | Ohio State University-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Columbus, OH | $50,055 | $22,834 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 65 | University of VermontBachelor's Degree | Burlington, VT | $49,987 | $19,500 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 66 | California State University, San MarcosBachelor's Degree | San Marcos, CA | $49,848 | $17,000 | -78% | Negative payoff |
| 67 | Virginia Commonwealth UniversityBachelor's Degree | Richmond, VA | $49,641 | $13,996 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 68 | Arizona State University Campus ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Tempe, AZ | $49,597 | $25,500 | -81% | Negative payoff |
| 69 | Arizona State University Digital ImmersionBachelor's Degree | Scottsdale, AZ | $49,597 | $25,500 | WithheldPrice-proxy sensitive | Not available |
| 70 | University of Missouri-ColumbiaBachelor's Degree | Columbia, MO | $49,351 | $17,600 | -83% | Negative payoff |
| 71 | California State University, FresnoBachelor's Degree | Fresno, CA | $49,187 | $14,231 | -80% | Negative payoff |
| 72 | University of Nevada-RenoBachelor's Degree | Reno, NV | $48,607 | $23,750 | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 73 | The University of Texas at AustinBachelor's Degree | Austin, TX | $48,486 | $22,523 | -87% | Negative payoff |
| 74 | California State University, SacramentoBachelor's Degree | Sacramento, CA | $48,367 | $20,675 | -85% | Negative payoff |
| 75 | Wayne State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Detroit, MI | $48,230 | $26,493 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 76 | University of North FloridaBachelor's Degree | Jacksonville, FL | $48,132 | $18,000 | -86% | Negative payoff |
| 77 | University of Minnesota-Twin CitiesBachelor's Degree | Minneapolis, MN | $48,010 | $23,375 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 78 | University of New Mexico-Main CampusBachelor's Degree | Albuquerque, NM | $47,958 | $23,814 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 79 | University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeBachelor's Degree | Milwaukee, WI | $47,811 | $27,000 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 80 | University of Alaska AnchorageBachelor's Degree | Anchorage, AK | $47,547 | Not available | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 81 | University of Nebraska-LincolnBachelor's Degree | Lincoln, NE | $47,485 | $21,260 | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 82 | Wichita State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Wichita, KS | $47,392 | $25,000 | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 83 | University of FloridaBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $47,348 | $14,639 | -89% | Negative payoff |
| 84 | University of Florida-OnlineBachelor's Degree | Gainesville, FL | $47,348 | $14,639 | -88% | Negative payoff |
| 85 | Montclair State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Montclair, NJ | $47,225 | $25,723 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 86 | Kennesaw State UniversityBachelor's Degree | Kennesaw, GA | $47,179 | $26,787 | -91% | Negative payoff |
| 87 | California State University, Long BeachBachelor's Degree | Long Beach, CA | $47,166 | $12,500 | -90% | Negative payoff |
| 88 | University at AlbanyBachelor's Degree | Albany, NY | $47,095 | $23,250 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 89 | University of West GeorgiaBachelor's Degree | Carrollton, GA | $46,740 | $22,782 | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 90 | Oakland UniversityBachelor's Degree | Rochester Hills, MI | $46,628 | Not available | -92% | Negative payoff |
| 91 | University of MemphisBachelor's Degree | Memphis, TN | $46,560 | $20,081 | -93% | Negative payoff |
| 92 | University of Pittsburgh-GreensburgBachelor's Degree | Greensburg, PA | $46,328 | $25,000 | -95% | Negative payoff |
| 93 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh CampusBachelor's Degree | Pittsburgh, PA | $46,328 | $25,000 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 94 | California State University, StanislausBachelor's Degree | Turlock, CA | $46,321 | Not available | -94% | Negative payoff |
| 95 | University of OregonBachelor's Degree | Eugene, OR | $45,920 | $25,646 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 96 | North Carolina State University at RaleighBachelor's Degree | Raleigh, NC | $45,890 | $26,000 | -96% | Negative payoff |
| 97 | Fort Lewis CollegeBachelor's Degree | Durango, CO | $45,833 | $17,592 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 98 | University of California, RiversideBachelor's Degree | Riverside, CA | $45,821 | $21,250 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 99 | Western Carolina UniversityBachelor's Degree | Cullowhee, NC | $45,809 | $22,595 | -97% | Negative payoff |
| 100 | University of North TexasBachelor's Degree | Denton, TX | $45,664 | $21,168 | -97% | Negative payoff |
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.